Can I eat what I want after weight loss if I have a high caloric deficit to maintain?

This was a question that someone asked me to answer on the Q&A site, quora.com. This is what I said:

Getting things stable after weight loss is something I used to find the hardest and it’s why so many people are yo-yo dieters.

Before I go on however, just to correct you, after weight loss you should not have to maintain a high caloric deficit. What you need to strive for is caloric equilibrium (energy consumed = energy burned).

That balance is really tricky and can only be done properly by measuring how much energy you burn (perhaps with a smart watch) and monitoring and recording what you eat and drink.

At present, gathering and recording data about what you eat and drink is a bit clunky and difficult, but fear not, there are tools on the horizon that will make it much simpler and easier looking forward. Watch this space….